From This Day Foward
by GibbsGirlAbby
Summary: Tony shows Gibbs he takes his vows seriously.  Prequel to "Tony's To-Do List."  Two parts.  Not-too-distant future fic.


**Title:** From This Day Forward  
><strong>Author Name:<strong> GibbsGirlAbby  
><strong>Rating:<strong> R  
><strong>Series:<strong> The "To-Do List" 'verse. Prequel to "Tony's To-Do List." You don't have to read that one first.  
><strong>Genre:<strong> Slash  
><strong>Pairing:<strong> Gibbs/DiNozzo  
><strong>Summary:<strong> Tony takes his vows seriously.  
><strong>Spoilers: <strong> None—this is a not-too-distant future fic.  
><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> These characters belong to DPB, CBS, Paramount, et al. No copyright infringement is intended.  
><strong>Warnings:<strong> Boy on boy action. Don't like? Don't read. 

**From This Day Forward**

He's lost track of the number of times he's had to sit in hard plastic chairs in halls reeking of disinfectant. So many times now that it doesn't even faze him, that the chair is just a chair, and the hall is just a hall and that the most important thing is what's going on beyond the door.

He rises and paces once more, peering into the small window, hoping against hope that they've moved the curtain out of the way, that he'll catch a glimpse, some sign that things are going well, that things will be fine. But no glimpse, and as he watches and listens, he just hears beeps and sirens and calm but anxious voices around the bed where his husband lays.

His husband. He shakes his head and moves from the door, back to the chair, sitting down and absently rubbing his wedding ring, remembering when it wasn't there…

"_You want to what?" At Tony's words, Gibbs glared, the glare that said 'I know you heard me, you're just stalling for time.' He relented. "You want us to get married?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Just like that?"_

_Now came the Gibbs eye roll. "What do you mean, just like that? We've been together for four years, Tony. We've lived together for three. And we've known each other forever. What's the big deal?"_

"_Why?"_

"_Because that's what I do," Gibbs shrugged. "I wanted to marry you when you moved in. Hell, I think I wanted to marry you when you tackled me in Baltimore." He pulled Tony out of his chair at the table, standing the other man between his legs and looping his arms loosely around Tony's waist. "Now it's legal everywhere, so what do you say?"_

_Tony pretended to consider the question. "Not a very romantic proposal, Jethro," he said. _

"_You want romance, go get a woman," Gibbs scoffed. _

"_Not in love with a woman," Tony said, leaning down and catching Gibbs' mouth. "In love with you."_

_Gibbs moved to deepen the kiss, but pulled back at the last moment. "Is that a yes?"_

_Tony laughed, straddling the chair to half-sit on Gibbs' lap. "That is a HELL YES!" he said, fusing their mouths back together again._

With a trembling hand, Tony removed his ring, clutching it hard in his fist as he leaned back, head bumping the wall a bit. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves. _In…hold…out. In…hold…out_. The shaking that threatened to overtake him was kept at bay for now. He opened his fist slowly, watching the florescent light from above shine on the gold band. With stronger fingers, he slid the ring back on…

"_I, Tony DiNozzo, take thee, Leroy Jethro Gibbs, as mine forever. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, 'till death do us part."_

_The priest turned to Gibbs. "You have a ring?" Gibbs nodded, turning behind him to Fornell who held out the simple gold band. "Repeat after me again: With this ring I thee wed." _

_Tony felt the cool metal slide down his finger, watched Gibbs' face as he placed the band there, and thrilled as Gibbs echoed the priest's words. "With this ring, I thee wed."_

"_With my body, I thee worship," the priest continued._

_Gibbs looked up, still clutching Tony's hand, and winked. "With my body, I thee worship." _

_Tony chuffed a laugh, but still felt a blush creep up his neck. _

"_Tony? You have a ring?"_

_He nodded, turning to McGee and holding his hand out. The matching band was placed into his hand and he grasped Gibbs' left one, holding the circle above the digit and didn't wait for the priest. "With this ring, I thee wed," he said, slipping it on Gibbs finger. "With my body, I thee worship." He gripped Gibbs' hand tightly, loving the feel of his ring on the other man's finger._

"_Always anticipating, aren't ya, DiNozzo?" Gibbs chided softly. _

"_Gotta stay one step ahead, Boss. Learned a long time ago I might get run over if I'm too slow."_

"_But you weren't too fast. I still caught you."_

"_Yeah, but who said I didn't want to be caught?" Tony replied. He leaned in and brushed a soft kiss across Gibbs' mouth._

"_Hmm." Both men turned to the priest as if they forgot he was there. "Shall we continue?"_

_Gibbs grunted an affirmative, and the priest continued. "Then by the power vested in me by the Church and the State of Virginia, I pronounce that you are hereby married, husbands for life." _

"_FINALLY!" _

_Both Gibbs and Tony turned to toward the speaker. Abby's hands were now covering her mouth, black lace gloves stark against her pale skin. With a laugh, Tony gave his attention to his new husband, held his face in both hands, and kissed him for what seemed like years... _

Two years later Tony and Gibbs are still happy. Not that it's been all sunshine and gummy bears—two strong personalities such as theirs will always have conflicts. But for the most part, the legality of their union was a mere formality, a codicil to their previous successful life together, both at home and at work. It seemed to Tony that life with Gibbs would always be good.

Until today.

_A thud in the kitchen was swiftly followed by a crash. Tony was just coming into the house when it sounded, and with a start, headed straight back. He found Gibbs on the floor, coffee from the crashed pot pooling around the prone body. Tony skidded to his husband, kneeling down in the liquid. "Gibbs!" he said, tapping the older man on the cheek. "Gibbs!"_

_The blue eyes fluttered open, hazy and unfocused. _

_Tony cradled Gibbs' head in his lap and pulled his phone out, dialing 911. "Federal agent down. Need an ambulance. Five twenty five Laurel, Alexandria."_

"_What is the nature of the emergency?" the operator asked._

"_Not sure," Tony said, not seeing any bullet holes or other external injuries beyond a burn on his hand. "Heard a crash, found him in the kitchen. Opens his eyes, but they're unfocused. Unresponsive to touch." He placed a hand on Gibbs' neck. "Pulse is strong but rapid, breathing is okay. Don't think it was a heart attack." _

"_Thank you, an ambulance has been dispatched."_

"_What, now, I mean, what should I do?" Tony's heart was beating fast. "Keep trying to wake him up?"_

"_No, sir. Just monitor him, and if he stops breathing proceed to do CPR. The ambulance should be there any moment."_

_Just as the operator said that, a faint siren sounded though Tony could barely hear it over the pounding of his own heart. "They're here," he said tossing the phone away and cradling Gibbs closer. "Damn you, Jethro, don't you dare die on me!" He bent down and kissed the gray head. "I mean it, I haven't had near enough time with you!" _

_A voice called from the other room. "Hello?"_

"_Back here!" _

"You're not supposed to be back here, sir," the nurse in scrubs told Tony.

Tony stared her down. When he'd finally had enough of waiting, he'd come through the door with the little window and was heading for the curtained area where he knew Gibbs was being treated when he was stopped. "That is my husband," he told the woman, surprised his voice was as steady as it was. "I am going to go over there and be with him."

"Sir, they're still working on him."

"I won't be in the way," Tony insisted, doing a faint and parry move to go around her.

"Doctor…" the nurse warned.

"You makin' trouble, DiNozzo?"

Tony stopped at the curtain, the voice familiar even though the words weren't clear. He gripped the green fabric and quickly scanned the area, the machines beeping, tubes of liquid connected to flesh, the pale man lying in the bed. With a strained smile he looked at Gibbs, noting the slight downturn of his mouth and the bandaged right hand. "You know me, Boss. Never could stay out of it." He turned to face the doctor and other medical professionals hovered around Gibbs. "What's the verdict, doc?" he asked, coming to stand next to the bed and grasping Gibbs' arm with one hand, other one lifted to thread through the gray strands of hair matted with sweat.

"Go ahead, doc," Gibbs said. Tony's eyes narrowed as the slurred words only came out of one side of Gibbs' mouth.

The doctor took a deep breath. "Agent Gibbs has suffered a stroke."


End file.
